This application is not referenced in any microfiche appendix.
The invention relates in general to optical lens processing and more specifically, to a system, method and article of manufacture to determine and communicate optical lens sizing and prescription information.
Subject matter related to optical lens sizing is well known in the art. For example:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,790,572 issued on Jan. 27, 1931 to Lucian W. Bugbee Jr. discloses a lens inspecting and layout device.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,190,582 issued on Feb. 13, 1940 to Fayette E. Wolf discloses a template for edging lenses.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,546,329 issued on Mar. 27, 1951 to Henry C. Barile discloses a lens inspecting and layout device.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,313,031 issued on Apr. 11, 1967 to George L. Lowe discloses an ophthalmic lens former.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,830 issued on Nov. 30, 1982 to Kazuhiro Honma et al discloses a device for displaying feature of contour images wherein the x-y coordinates are determined of a multiplicity of points set at very small intervals of a fixed value on a contour line, the coordinates of a selected number of points on either side of one (central point) of the aforementioned multiplicity of points are averaged, the two points corresponding to the two sets of averaged coordinates are connected by a straight line, a perpendicular line is drawn to this straight line from the aforementioned central point, and the distance from the central point to the foot of the perpendicular line on the straight line is calculated. This distance varies with the change in the shape of the contour line. By finding this distance with respect to each of the points on the contour line and displaying the distances found, there can be obtained a figure indicative of features of the shape of the contour image.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,590 issued on Apr. 7, 1987 to Ronald Ace discloses a system for computerizing eyeglass geometrical frame pattern records at a central location for access by eyeglass retailers or wholesalers is disclosed. The pattern records are stored in a central computer in the form of instructions for a remote pattern cutting machine. The instructions define the shape of the eyeglass frame in quasi-polar coordinates, either using the frame""s geometrical xe2x80x9cboxxe2x80x9d center as the origin or using the optical center of the lens as the origin, the computer providing the desired conversion between the two pattern centers. When an optician has a call for edging a lens for a particular frame, the optician obtains the edge shape data from the central computer by specifying the frame and, if desired, by specifying the decent ration of the optical center from the frame geometric center. The central computer may convert its frame shape data from the geometric center to the optical center, if desired, and then provides the necessary data for cutting the pattern. Data is transmitted to and is stored at a remote pattern cutter which then utilizes the data to cut a full-size pattern from an inexpensive plastic workpiece, or pattern blank. Then the optician may compare the pattern with the frame to make sure that it is correct before edge-grinding the lens to the shape of the pattern, thereby greatly simplifying the present labor-intensive process of preparing lenses for frames.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,024 issued on Mar. 28, 1989 to Tsuyoshi Saigoh discloses a spectacle-frame shape data producing method in which a spline interpolation function is used to digitize the shape M of a spectacle frame to provide spectacle-frame shape data, and the shape M of the spectacle frame is obtained by a lens maker""s factory to produce spectacle lenses having prescribed values and an optimum thickness conforming to the spectacle frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,428,448 issued on Jun. 27, 1995 to Pablo Albert-Garcia discloses a method and apparatus for determining the size and shape to which a finished lens used to make an eyeglass lens is to be cut. Coordinates which define the outer perimeter of a lens are determined by illuminating either an eyeglass frame or a lens. An image of the shadow of the frame or lens is captured by an imaging device. A first linear polarizing filter is positioned optically between a light source and the membrane. A second linear polarizing filter, oriented at 180 degrees from the first filter, is placed optically between the membrane and the camera. Thus, the first and second polarizing filters allow a high definition image to be attained for substantially transparent plastic. A general purpose computer: (1) identifies the edges of the image so as to define the perimeter; (2) orients the image by identifying an orientation line placed upon a lens, if the image is of a lens which is not within a frame, and (3) measures the distance between lenses if an eyeglass frame is being measured. If an eyeglass frame is being measured, then a depth gauge indicator is used to measure the depth of a groove in the frame into which a lens is recessed when mounted in the eyeglass frame. Once the coordinates of the lens are determined, they may be verified by comparison with the frames or lens from which they were derived. Further, the coordinates of the outer perimeter of the edged lens may be determined to verify the accuracy of the operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,399 issued on Jan. 16, 1996 to Tsuyoshi Saigo et al discloses a spectacle lens supply method for a system which includes a terminal installed at a lens orderer side and at least a computing device installed at a lens processor side and connected to the terminal via a communication line, for supplying spectacle lenses. In the lens supply method, the terminal transmits processing condition data including at least one of lens information, frame information, prescription values, layout information and processing information to the computing device, and the computing device calculates a desired lens shape including a bevel figure based on the received processing condition data, creates accept/reject information as to whether a lens process including beveling is possible or not, based on the result of the calculation, and transmits the accept/reject information to the terminal, which information is displayed at the terminal to permit the lens orderer to learn whether the lens process including beveling is possible or not.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,490 issued on Oct. 7, 1997 to Kerry Jean Hill discloses an alignment mechanism and method for using the same in which the alignment mechanism includes a sheet of translucent (including transparent) material with a plurality of horizontal and vertical intersecting traces positioned to form a grid. In a preferred embodiment, the sheet of translucent material is made of static cling vinyl to allow the sheet to hold itself to glass and other smooth surfaces. The sheet of material can also include a centered X and Y axes to enable the user to determine the center of the sheetxe2x80x94thereby allowing the user to appropriately position art works relative to one another without relying on unaided perception.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,926,247 issued on Jul. 20, 1999 to Toshio Kimura discloses a method of manufacturing spectacles by obtaining accurate frame shape information without performing a frame shape measurement in the spectacle store. In this method, frame shape information is first obtained after a spectacle frame is manufactured in a factory. Moreover, frame-related information, which includes the obtained frame shape information, or readout information, according to which this frame-related information is read out, is preliminarily added to the spectacle frame. Thereafter, in a spectacle store, the frame-related information is read from the spectacle itself or from a storage unit or the like by using the information added to the spectacle frame as a key. Thus, frame shape information, which is needed when obtaining lens processing information, is obtained therein. The present invention further provides a spectacle frame for use in this method.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,198 issued on Oct. 26, 1993 to Carol G. Van Schoyck purports to disclose and claim a method of transmitting edger information to a remote numerically controlled edger by which an eye care professional can convey edger information to a remotely located optician having a numerically controlled edger capable of shaping and beveling lenses in which the eye care professional removes the demonstration lenses from frames which the wearer has selected, places the demonstration lenses on a pattern scale and aligns the horizontal axis of the lenses, traces the outline of each of the demonstration lenses on the pattern scale, places the pattern scale into an optical scanning digital data transmitter wherein the patterns of the lenses are converted to digital information, transmitting the digital information to a computer, and generating an output signal by means of the computer to drive a numerically controlled edger to cause the edger to shape and bevel eyeglass lenses to clone the demonstration lenses.
The Van Schoyck patent (hereinafter xe2x80x9cVan Schoyckxe2x80x9d) contains one independent claim and recites xe2x80x9cA method by which an eye care professional can convey edger information to a remotely located optician in which the eye care professional has eyeglass frames selected by or for the user, the eyeglass frames having demonstration lenses therein, the optician having a numerically controlled edger capable of shaping and beveling lenses in response to digital information signals, comprising the steps of:
(a) making a horizontal axis on said demonstration lenses with an ophthalmoscopic while said demonstration lenses are in said eyeglass frames;
(b) removing each said demonstration lens having said horizontal axis marked thereon from said eyeglass frames;
(c) placing said demonstration lenses on a lens pattern scale having a horizontal axis line thereon and aligning said horizontal axis marked on each demonstration lens with the lens pattern scale horizontal axis line;
(d) tracing an outline of each of said demonstration lens onto said lens pattern scale;
(e) placing said lens pattern scale having said demonstration lenses outline marked thereon into an optical scanning digital data transmitter wherein the patterns of the lenses are converted to digital information signals, steps (a) through (e) being carried out at the location of said eye care professional;
(f) transmitting said digital information signals by a data transmission carrier to a computer at the location of said optician, the data being received and stored in said computer; and
(g) processing said digital information signals in said computer to provide operating instruction signals for use in said numerically controlled edger to cause said edger to shape and bevel eyeglass lenses to clone said demonstration lenses, the shaped and beveled lenses then being ready for delivery to said eye care professional for insertion into said eyeglass frames.
When comparing the above cited elements of Van Schoyck""s single independent claim to the present invention, it is clear that the present invention does not require (1) the expressed representation of a horizontal axis on demonstration lenses with an ophthalmoscope while said lenses are in eyeglass frames, (2) positioning demonstration lenses along a specifically pre-determined horizontal axis along an expressly indicated horizontal axis line, or (3) the tracing and communication of multiple lenses as embodied within an eyeglass frame.
The proposed invention calculates the circumference of an optical lens taking into consideration external variations in lens size and shape. The invention, utilizing a uniquely designed and purposed pen in conjunction with a uniquely designed optical lens representation template provides for a superior and consistent method of measure with respect to the circumference and shape of a represented (a.k.a. xe2x80x9ctracedxe2x80x9d) lens. The invention is practiced by placing a lens object upon an optical lens representation template which incorporates a cross-hair first color positioning indicator. The lens is then traced utilizing a second color marking means embodied as a uniquely designed optical lens tracing pen, and then scanned into a software system which receives the traced image and plots a lens shape based upon calculated distance measure(s) between the first color positioning indicator and the second color pen tracing. The system further provides for a number of options to allow a doctor to specify a prescription to be utilized in conjunction with the lens configuration.
It is a primary object of the instant invention to provide for an exactness of measure of optical lens circumference and shape unrealized in the present art.
It is a further object of the instant invention to allow a physician to automatically dial his or her lens laboratory, connect to said laboratory; server central processing unit and receive, in an automated and transparent manner, an updated version of the invention""s software as well as new lens design availability whenever a new lens becomes available at the lab or a new feature is implemented into the present invention""s software.
It is another object of the instant invention to eliminate the need to transport eyeglass frames to a laboratory location where lens edging or sizing is to be performed, thus, eliminating costs associated with transport of said frames and the attendant time delay of shipping frames to offsite laboratories.
Yet another object of the instant invention is to eliminate the need of exact placement or positioning of demonstration lenses on a horizontal axis which must be prescored and determined on an optical lens, or lenses.
It is a further object of the instant invention to eliminate the need for indicating the horizontal axis on demonstration lenses with an ophthalmoscope.
Yet an additional object of the instant invention is to eliminate the need for tracing an optical lens while embodied within an eyeglass frame.
Another object of the instant invention to provide graphic user interfaces to facilitate ease of use when executing the invention in its preferred embodiment.
Another object of the instant invention is to allow a user to view entered prescription data depicted in a graphical representation on a computer screen and verify such information is actually desired and is accurate.
Another object of the invention is to allow the user to vary a lens size and axis to determine a final size and axis prior to transmitting a lens order to a lens preparation laboratory.
Another object of the instant invention is to eliminate the inaccuracies of tracing an optical lens, trial lens or pattern inherent in utilization of prior art marking devices.